Sunday, August 22, 2010

Biochar -- Gasification Temperature Formation

From an engineering perspective, the most critical aspect in creating biochar is to maximize surface area (pore space) with an objective of trying to create surface areas approaching activated charcoal to maximize the capture/sequester of Greenhouse gases in soils (CO2, methane, nitrous oxide).

In order to achieve high surface areas the key engineering parameter of oxygen starved biomass gasification is temperature formation, where the optimal range is approximately 500 to 700 degrees C (~900 to 1,300 F).

While quite a bit of research is on-going to create biochar with small scale gasifiers (e.g., laboratory, stove, etc.), our research and demonstration effort is focused on large-scale, commercial up-draft gasifiers where the biochar is a waste product in creating biogas (for end-use applications such as product drying/heating, electricity, steam).

In our approach, we extract biochar (just above the incandescent zone) on a semi-continuous basis using nitrogen to “quench and cool” the biochar removed/recovered from the bed cooled to room-temperature for storage and eventual soils application. The recovery of biochar from the gasifier will not significantly impact the gasifier continuous operation of biogas generation for power/heat/steam. It is also important to note that our approach to "quench and cool" in a nitrogen environment is also attempting to address the extremely high carbon/nitrogen ratio of biochar.

On a final blog note, recent published studies suggest that biochar has the potential of sequestering ~12 percent of global CO2 emissions.

5 comments:

To me, in the long run, the final arbiter / accountancy / measure of sustainability will be soil carbon content. Once this royal road is constructed, traffic cops ( Carbon Board ) in place, the truth of land-management and Biochar systems will be self-evident.

The Ag Soil Carbon standard is in final review by the AMS branch at USDA. Read over the work so far; http://www.novecta.com/documents/Carbon-Standard.pdf

Agriculture allowed our cultural accent and Agriculture will now prevent our descent. Wise Land management; Organic farming and afforestation can build back our soil carbon, Biochar allows the soil food web to build much more recalcitrant organic carbon, ( living biomass & Glomalins) in addition to the carbon in the biochar.

Biochar viewed as soil Infrastructure; The old saw; "Feed the Soil Not the Plants" becomes; "Feed, Cloth and House the Soil, utilities included !". Free Carbon Condominiums with carboxyl group fats in the pantry and hydroxyl alcohol in the mini bar. Build it and the Wee-Beasties will come. Microbes like to sit down when they eat. By setting this table we expand husbandry to whole new orders & Kingdoms of life. (These oxidised surface charges; carbonyl. hydroxyl, carboxylic acids, and lactones or quinones, have as well a role as signaling substances towards bacteria, fungi and plants.)

This is what I try to get across to Farmers, as to how I feel about the act of returning carbon to the soil. An act of penitence and thankfulness for the civilization we have created. Farmers are the Soil Sink Bankers, once carbon has a price, they will be laughing all the way to it. Unlike CCS which only reduces emissions, biochar systems draw down CO2 every energy cycle, closing a circle back to support the soil food web. The photosynthetic "capture" collectors are up and running, the "storage" sink is in operation just under our feet. Pyrolysis conversion plants are the only infrastructure we need to build out.

To me, in the long run, the final arbiter / accountancy / measure of sustainability will be soil carbon content. Once this royal road is constructed, traffic cops ( Carbon Board ) in place, the truth of land-management and Biochar systems will be self-evident.

The Ag Soil Carbon standard is in final review by the AMS branch at USDA. Read over the work so far; http://www.novecta.com/documents/Carbon-Standard.pdf

Agriculture allowed our cultural accent and Agriculture will now prevent our descent. Wise Land management; Organic farming and afforestation can build back our soil carbon, Biochar allows the soil food web to build much more recalcitrant organic carbon, ( living biomass & Glomalins) in addition to the carbon in the biochar.

Biochar viewed as soil Infrastructure; The old saw; "Feed the Soil Not the Plants" becomes; "Feed, Cloth and House the Soil, utilities included !". Free Carbon Condominiums with carboxyl group fats in the pantry and hydroxyl alcohol in the mini bar. Build it and the Wee-Beasties will come. Microbes like to sit down when they eat. By setting this table we expand husbandry to whole new orders & Kingdoms of life.

This is what I try to get across to Farmers, as to how I feel about the act of returning carbon to the soil. An act of penitence and thankfulness for the civilization we have created. Farmers are the Soil Sink Bankers, once carbon has a price, they will be laughing all the way to it. Unlike CCS which only reduces emissions, biochar systems draw down CO2 every energy cycle, closing a circle back to support the soil food web. The photosynthetic "capture" collectors are up and running, the "storage" sink is in operation just under our feet. Pyrolysis conversion plants are the only infrastructure we need to build out.

Thanks for this blog and I appreciate the additional comments about electricity etc.

If anyone here is looking for more biochar we have high quantities of our Black Owl Biochar Environmental Ultra for bioremediation (80 C) and Black Owl for Gardening and Ag.

We are the first organically-certified located in Washington State. Our product has UHP and UHA is IBI Type I biochar.﻿We have done peony trials which show tremendous increases in blooms, number of eyes, root size and stem width for peonies with & without Biochar.

We are happy to provide the study to anyone interested (it is being peer reviewed at WSU).Feel free to email us @ Biochar Supreme www.biocharsupreme.com see our products at www.biocharsupreme.com/products/ or email us diretly at info@biocharsupreme.com.